New-York tribune., 1887-12-27
1 NEH' EMPLOYMENT FOR CONVIC. s
EX-SENATOR wooDN URGING A CHANGE

woREGNGMrN HAMPERFD BY PRISON COMP IT,
rtoY-NAKING FERTILIZERS TASK wuICH
would not ANNOY FREE LABOR.
AIB>>Y Dec. 2G tSDecal.-Exscna'or william y.
Wooln. wo lives I'm Auburn whore h. has a vi, o. ia
present ~ empls Ing the couvIcts in of the
Prisons is Of the opinion taat tho state Is compet
Ing with wprhlnginen. much the latter vantage
wall here In Albany few days ago he sai to corre
spondemt 81 THE TRIBUNE:
A shoemaker in NV city knocked ny, opinions on the
prison labor question eudw~s lately. He ~ nv
political worS-r, AMI tnoreore when he Jnined tho
Labor parry and hrcamc secretary o. IT. organIslon
read the the pdpe with some conservation ~ay
hi going by house few days aftcry ard an invt-
Ing HIM ln sal tat sa" that he had joined the La'"s
ihogent =! woali notice that. Senator"
Iircau.s tnnk that the labor weull protect ry
Interests shseaIker. The members OF the Lesis-
compete with myself ani all other shoemakers, with tho
rs.ult that We are losing our business:
with yon any apProcia5l" extent You must remsn-
an bosts they make sold all over
The prisons make above three per cent OF all the
boots ade the Union. Thisis tae extent OF
their compet ton with You lhree per cent Is 1hai
conpct'rn" a
snly know the effect Of th' prssn c'npetton On my
business Nou remember th2t five OF SIX years as
nv business became 20 good IN ma-ins shoes an n"o's
tat | hai to employ man 10 Heip nc @ anr" - ~
poycd another and anaticr. until hai SIX mon WORK
ins Tor me | made mOnsy IN those DAYS. bought
snd lot Then along this prison com petition. /
rem Tr. 'enE oT 'nSs; cas. That made the
market prices | had TO cene down to IT, There may
only three per csnt competition IN ths wa"s
United states but Immediately felt it to the extent
have named Ihsn the prisons came down to go case
had 10 foIsr them. or could not sell NV shoes
tried all klsis OF economy reduced the number oi my
werLiugmea We sll worked harder | was careful IN
buying leather Then the prisons came down TO SIS
had follow them there. Prstty soon FOUND hab a
mortgage on my house. New | believe II is wrong
for tho state thus 10 ifUure an honest wothlhGhsa
The state ccapsls me to pay the expenses OF govern
mont ana for schools and water and roads. That IL
rignt Mr. Ndslerhlit and Mr.. Gould have 10 pay tao
same taxes ihat Is rsht But doe. the state co~psts
with them III the riilrsSd business 4
Ssnltsr WooIiD added
THAT stsry convinced me that the worklnsmen have
a real grievance s4nst the state which tie Legislature
and the Governor should redress. would not deprive
tho conycts Of WORK but would employ them AT so1e.
tsing in which they would not into coHpeiitlou
with the workiRg classes At Auburn they are now
making shoes 10 ts value Of 900 or SO0Ooo every
wear At CliHtOn state Prison they are making cloth
NJ worth 100000 10 100000 every year Inc
cheap clothing men New-Yolk and other bi; cities
buy It, and hes the wages paid TO the poor workihg-
women about which much complaint Is made )lst
now are reduced Tho states prisoners should Dot DO
permitted 10 conpce with honest w0rkingwoaien ana
wsrkirgnen. | wsult employ the convlcts IN making
fertilizers That is not business wuich many soer
employed. There are Few nrihs engasea III tue
business. our farms becoming exhausted LOOK
at tho reducoi crops per acre OF wheat even on
the formerly rich Land, OF Minnesota and other Western
states The soil is becoming impevsrished IL woult
not take bread out or anyOedys msuth thc cohvlca
.hsuld make fertilizers. would have the fertilizers
sold In that way farmers w0uI De aole 10 grt
materials earcb their farms at small cost In ths
fertilizers s specially necessary II wsuit be eIsar
profit the farmersot this state ae 'onvcts Wsro
es povrd making cheap fertilizers Tor Them W NJ.
vItuln twenty the state of sonih talolna mas
made ST. OoOO OOD by the sale OF fertilizer Materials
nlsuhtcdly the materials for the manufacture OF ierll-
llzcrs can bo found within the limits or this state